Richard West aka Mr C with sister Julia at Bed Light and Beyond

A GLOBALLY renowned DJ who is using “red light therapy” to help him recover from a stomach condition has set up a new centre offering the treatment to people on lower incomes.

Research shows the use of low-level wavelengths can tackle a range of ailments and cut pain, but, despite being used in medical settings for four decades, has so far largely been the preserve of the wealthy.

Richard West, who is known as DJ Mr C and performed with the 1990s chart-topping band The Shamen, is running the new venture with his sister Julia. He said Bed Light And Beyond in Brecknock Road aimed to break down the price barrier.

“Being the socialists we are, we decided we could set this up for the community. We thought – working class people like us can afford sun beds – so why don’t we set up a centre and charge something comparable to sunbeds,” he said.

“Let’s make it affordable and help as many people as possible benefit from it. Our closest rival is double in price.”

The process has been used by Premier League football clubs to get elite athletes back from injury, as well as actors and models. It can reduce inflammation, accelerate muscle recovery and boost collagen in the skin.

Mr West said: “It was four years ago and I was DJ’ing at a festival called Shindig. It had a wellness field and I came across this little stall offering red light therapy. I was curious. They explained to me how it worked.

“I’m someone who gets freckles and goes a bit pink in the sun. I had this red mole on my face and the woman at the stall got this red light laser pen and used it on the mole for 10 minutes.

“When she had finished, 80 per cent of it had gone. It was amazing, and being an inquisitive character I began to research – and the more I looked into it, the more I was blown away.”

Mr West’s twin sister Julia, who works in adult care, was discussing future projects and had mentioned how she was interested in establishing a sunbed centre.

Her brother had saved up funds from the many gigs he had performed and the pair hit on the idea of instead setting up the therapy clinic which doesn’t have the ultraviolet radiation used by tanning studios.

They chose Brecknock Road as it was close to where they both had grown up and where they live now.

Mr West said: “We looked into it and the fact is lots of well off people use it – this is a rich person’s therapy. Many places charge £80 a time and people use it three times a week, which means users can be spending £800 a month.

“This puts it completely out of reach of working class people. I had friends who needed this but could not afford it.”

He added: “I looked at how much the beds are and they are expensive to buy, but not to run.”

A recent health issue saw Mr West spend time in the Whittington Hospital, where staff caught a serious stomach condition just in time to save his life.

And the light therapy has helped him bounce back.

“Being in the Whittington was such a positive experience,” he said.

“I remembered how gorgeous and beautiful Londons’ multicultural society is – I was so well looked after by Londoners from all over the world  and it was inspiring to watch humans looking after each other so compassionately and so well.”

He was told to take his recovery slowly, but Mr West used the red light therapy and has bounced back so quickly that his doctors have expressed astonishment at how well he has recovered.

He added: “The therapy can help with a wide range of ailments, from arthritis to skin conditions, to help with pain and recovery.

“For my work, I have had professional photographers take pictures of me – and I look years younger today than I did 10 years ago. Red light therapy works.”